Photo of the Day – 13 August 2016: Big Head

This shot was taken during one of the monthly street photography walks organised by the London region of the Royal Photographic Society.  It is an opportunity to meet up with other photographers and the person who runs them invariably chooses interesting locations.   I am usually able to come away with at least one reasonable shot, although on this occasion I surprised myself with how many managed to get.

There are some who dismiss this type of photography as requiring no skill, it being merely the result of serendipity.  There might even be some who would acknowledge the humour and then dismiss the image for not offering any more photographically.  The scene itself is quite untidy with a lot of rubbish on the ground.  Does that add to the overall effect or should the detritus be Photoshopped away?  Some would agree that it should.

I will be the first to admit that a certain amount of good fortune occurred here.  Having found a place where I could view from above people emerging from a subway exit, I had no way of knowing what would happen.  Since I had carried on shooting as more people emerged, I was not aware of exactly what I had captured until I viewed the results later.  I could have waited some time for this moment, but even there I was lucky; it was among the first shots I took at the scene.

The way I respond to these naysayers is that it is what it is.  Yes, there is a good chunk of providence in its taking, but I was there at that spot when I wondered what would happen if I pointed my camera towards the subway exit.  Circumstances came together to form the moment, which I had placed myself to record.  And that, for me, is what street photography is all about.  Never knowing what I will find or can expect.

Big Head – Click on the image to see a larger version

This is part of my occasional “Photo of the Day” series when I publish any shots which I think might be of interest and tell the story behind them.  They might not necessarily be portfolio standard images, nor the final version, but still be of sufficient interest for inclusion in my blog.  If I do not show a shot on any given day, it does not mean that I did not take any photographs, just that I did not get anything worthwhile.  For me, that is part of the fun of photography, not knowing what you will find on a shoot when nothing is planned.